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Sept. 11 shaped some of Bush legacy

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George W. Bush, like Harry Truman, was president when an unexpected attack inflicted a terrible defeat on the United States.
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The alternatives — fecklessness and appeasement (eloquent or not, it doesn’t matter) — may return to Washington, but if they do, the consequences will be at least as staggering as those of Sept. 11. Bush’s clarity about not waiting to be struck again and about the need to move decisively against rogue regimes that are believed to possess WMD is a model for future presidents that will be ignored at their and our peril.

Removal of the threat can be by force of arms, as with Iraq, or by force of will, as with Libya, but there is no safe alternative to the Bush Doctrine if the regime is a menace with the means to strike the U.S. directly or through proxies. Bush’s doctrines have defined the choices ahead, and will be used to evaluate his successors’ policies via the jihadists and their ambitions for WMD.

The complete overhaul of the strategic posture of the United States in the seven years since Sept. 11 is half of the central legacy of George Bush. The domestic accomplishments of this center-right president are large and interesting — No Child Left Behind and prescription drug legislation, to name two — and his failures were ambitious and politically significant, Social Security reform and immigration overhaul most prominent among them.

Bush’s grand achievement on the domestic side was the most recent turn of a triple play of tax cuts — John F. Kennedy’s, Ronald Reagan’s and his own — all of which prove the incredible economic wisdom of allowing people to keep more of the money they make. It is unfortunately a lesson that is as quickly unlearned as it is productive when relearned. We are watching its unlearning now. Someone down the road will make it four for four.

The long run of economic growth that ended with the subprime crisis was the product of low marginal tax rates. The bubbles that burst did not destroy that truth any more than their explosions undermined the wisdom of free trade, for which Bush was a tireless campaigner. The appointments of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito will play out over decades and cannot possibly be evaluated now.

The other part of Bush’s central legacy will be the example of the correct temperament of a commander in chief in wartime. Though relentlessly attacked by a domestic left wing deranged by fear or hate, Bush refused the temptation to return in kind the abuse he received. The campaign of 2004 was tough, but there was nothing in it or in Bush’s administration remotely approaching the scale of dirty tricks that marked many episodes in the years from Kennedy through Bill Clinton regarding the treatment of political enemies. Bush’s reserve when it came to political hardball is a standard of crucial significance for the long war ahead.

The Plame affair was a burlesque from start to finish, signifying nothing except the crazed nature of the president’s opponents. Like the charges of “Bush lied, people died” and of Bush-led massive assaults on civil liberties, historians will mock such absurd indictments.

Throughout this political hysteria, Bush stayed calm and governed with an eye toward protecting the whole country, which he did. Whether competent state and local authorities might have prevented the Hurricane Katrina chaos we will never know, but it won’t be more than a relatively small chapter in the histories written about Bush. His refusal to snarl back will be part of that chapter and part of a much larger theme about dignity and grace in the exercise of power.

Readers' Comments (26)

But when the Jon Meacham of 150 years from now goes about his task with Bush, that historian will have as much material and more, as did the author of “American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House.” And the verdict will be nearly the same: Here was an extraordinary and controversial man who accomplished a great deal, lost many battles, stood by his friends sometimes too long and could be stubborn beyond political calculation but who accomplished his most urgent task of protecting the union against its many enemies. The successful completion of that task is what all great presidents have in common.

I am about 2/3's done with Jon Meacham's "American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House" and as I read I find the parallels between Jackson and Bush astounding. I recommend this book highly.

Thank you Hugh Hewit. Hold on though, the attacks will be swift and hard.

Wow. Just, wow. Hugh Hewitt bravely keeping the Republican notion alive that if you repeat something over and over again even if it's false, it becomes perceived as true. This tactic may have worked 4 years ago, but America's eyes have opened quite a bit since then. Why Politico gives space to a fringe hack like Hewitt is beyond me.

Ah, it's so entertaining to read the delusional fiction coming out of the Republican camp these days, particularly Mr. Hewitt. Please do keep it up, because the longer it endures, the more time the Democrats, Independents, and anyone else even remotely competent have to repair the damage created by the conservatives in the Republican Party. What the Greedy Old Party hasn't figured out is that the world has moved on, and is gradually leaving them and their fundamentals of intolerance and hatred in the dust. The only problem I have with that is that the opposition needs to retain a modicum of ability in order to keep the party in power from losing touch with reality and moving into unchecked power. While the leading lights of the Republican Party remain true believers in silliness like Mr. Hewitt just poured out, it will continue to dwindle away and be unable to function as a sensible brake to the party in power - but then, it began losing that ability when Lee Atwater and Karl Rove moved into their roles.

Historians look at the things over the expanse of time, and will likely conclude that Bush was unqualified to be President, but that shortcoming was ignored, given the peace and prosperity enjoyed during the 90's. Bush was a frivolous choice for frivolous times, but that frivolity ended soon enough, due in large part to that choice.

@neosteve. Government is NOT the problem. Incompetent government is the problem and we've all gotten really good look at just how bad an incompetent government can be. Republicans run on this message consistently and then when they get into office, they systematically destroy it and then stand back at the rubble and say : "See, I told you it doesn't work". It's a self fulfilling prophecy.

The only good thing about this economic meltdown is that it happened while BUSH was still president, so Obama won't get the blame from Americans being honest with themselves. The only question left about Bush's legacy is what level of HELL he will occupy when he dies. Sixth? Seventh?

This reorientation of America’s defenses toward the long conflict with radical and networked Islamist jihadists has been both remarkable and remarkably successful,

Oh, come on Hewitt. That's BS and you know it. The reorientation of our defenses has been towards using our military as a hammer in the Neo-Nitwits plan for world domination via their "Pax Americana". The Islamist jihadists were just the "enemy" of convience to put the PNAC plan divised by Neo-Nitwits like Ronald Dumsfeld and Dick Cheney, not as a noble cause, but as a way for their MIC to profit greatly. This was clearly evident with the rapid shift from the hunt for bin Laden to the invasion of Iraq and the insueing quagmire.

You write about the remarkable success, where is that? After six years of war, over 4,000 brave American killed, ten's of thousands of Iraqi's killed, nearly $1,000,000 Million spent to support the MIC, what has it gotten us?

"Count me among the 30 percent, which will soon be 40 percent ? and then more than 50 percent much sooner than most of the chattering class can conceive. Bush is deeply loved and respected in places as diverse as remote villages in Africa and booming tech centers in India and, despite the noise from a left still trying to diminish his character, among tens of millions of Americans grateful for the care he has taken to protect them and their families." It will be 20% if the likes of this individual keeps toting the Republican line. I personally hope this continues as the neo-con,social conservative morons will continue their utter destruction of the Republican party. My obvious question though is why politico chose such a Sarah Palin loving hack to comment here. I mean the guy not only smokes Republican crack he has more face lifts then Joan Rivers!!!Rail on Hugh, Rail on against the light!!

Are Republicans actually going to reduce their own Party's reputation even further by defending the utter incompetence of the Bush adminstration??? This is baloney: "George W. Bush, like Harry Truman, was president when an unexpected attack inflicted a terrible defeat on the United States." The attack wasn't unexpected. Al Qaeda attacked the WTC a few weeks into Bill Clinton's Presidency, 6 people died, and Al Qaeda was contained for the next eight years. Then George W. Bush came into office. Richard Clark warned the entire Bush administration to keep their eyes on Al Qaeda ONLY. Instead, George W. Bush fired Richard Clark and Dick Cheney pulled down the dusty old maps of Iraq. Condi Rice got a memo on August 6, 2001, warning her that Al Qaeda was determined to strike inside the US. And Bush the Decider decided to stay in Crawford on vacation, determined to stop... Al Qaeda? No, stem cell research. The rest is history -- the history of The Worst President EVER. Why Republicans would ever stake their political future on the presidency of George W. Bush is beyond me. But, thankfully, it will keep Republicans in the political wilderness for generations, lacking the power to do any further harm our nation's future. Good riddance to the last eight years!

If you were a person who--like me--found yourself oddly impressed by the Detroit Lions' "perfect" 0-16 season, you should be blown away by the consistent wrongness of Hugh Hewitt. He is the King of Bad Predictions.

In 2006, he wrote a book trumpeting what he saw as a coming "permanent Republican Majority," because Republicans would use the war to win and Dems had made a "decision to go off the cliff" by listening to lefty blogs. On election day in 2006, he was still predicting Republicans would keep their Congressional majorities (if not expand them). In January 2007, he said John McCain's campaign was "on the rocks" and soon after predicted a Romney win. Two months before the 2008 election, he said the Obama campaign was in a state of "accelerating collapse." A month before the 2008 election, he predicted that "Americans will override curiosity about Barack Obama and infatuation with his celebrity, and trust John McCain to pilot the country for the next four years." That same month, it was reported that publishers didn't seem excited by the possiblity of slapping their imprint on the book Hewitt was peddling, "How Sarah Palin Won the Election...and Saved America."

My guess? His streak continues in glorious form with this prediction. Bush will, in fact, be remembered as a man who combined the worst attributes of Hoover and Nixon into a clueless pudding, leaving out the sharp bits of intellect those men could display now and then.

My hope, though, is that Hugh Hewitt continues to have a long, important career on the right. He, Rush and others like them are a big part of the right's dumbification and promise to contribute to many a future Republican loss.

oh please hugh. you're one of the most hyper-partisans I've ever read or listened to. Just because you don't scream like savage or pontificate like rush or speak smarmily like medved doesn't mean anyone with a sense of objectivity can't see right through you. that was the most rose-colored retrospective i've read in a long time. yet you accuse your adversaries of "drinking kool-aid". That priceless. only in america - gotta love this country. ....and about what the future generations will think of Bush? why would anyone take YOUR word for that? I've been listening to you for four years and I can't remember ONE major political or world event which you're predicted accurately. I'm actually amazed you still have a job.

Oh, come on Hewitt. That's BS and you know it. The reorientation of our defenses has been towards using our military as a hammer in the Neo-Nitwits plan for world domination via their "Pax Americana". The Islamist jihadists were just the "enemy" of convience to put the PNAC plan divised by Neo-Nitwits like Ronald Dumsfeld and Dick Cheney, not as a noble cause, but as a way for their MIC to profit greatly. This was clearly evident with the rapid shift from the hunt for bin Laden to the invasion of Iraq and the insueing quagmire.

good friend and brother Leatherneck, surely you weren't expecting this bush apologist, hewitt, to be anything less than the poop-shute snorkeler that he is... i hope.

Hugh: First, I am a social and fiscal conservative. I have lived in Texas for 30 years and voted for Bush twice as govenor and twice for President. I disagree with with your assessment of George Bush. George Bush was unprepared for the battles he was expected to fight in Washington. I agree he remained true to his own moral code. In doing so he singlehandedly ruined the conservative party label, introduced the country to the concept of larger government programs without any responsible means to finance them (perscription drugs, no child left behind, ethanol, expansion of unwise govt backed lending, no veto any any pork laden spending, etc), turned the other check so often when he was attacked that the country (both parties) viewed him as a gutless hack, made absolutely clueless statements that made no sense (Harriett Miers selection, CIR defense on network TV) and never was coherent on his foreign policy in the Middle East. Yes, it's true the country has not been attacked since 2001. However, I think I am not alone in thinking that you dance with who brung you to the dance. If you're a conservative, govern conservatively. If you're a liberal, govern liberally. Don't ever think the enemy will love you if you "reach across the aisle". As my brother remarked sadly, "Bush thought he was Santa Claus to everyone".

what has bush's polices done? I am not on the hill to see all the insider info but what I can see is that since 9/11 almost every other country on the planet has sufferd mant terrist attacks on multiple fronts.. I think it is sad that you people crap on the only man willing to try and guaranty our safety and freedom,,,we are the only civilized nation on earth that has not sufferd multiple attacks...so while you wipe your self of any pride you have left take a minute and thank god for president bush if not for him we would be no diffrent than any other coward nation. Just think if Bill was still in office we would have paid off the terrist and begged them not to pic on us.

"I am about 2/3's done with Jon Meacham's "American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House" and as I read I find the parallels between Jackson and Bush astounding. I recommend this book highly." Jackson like Bush? Marijuana can do very interesting things. Jackson led troops in the battle of 1812, Bush signed up for the Texas Air National Guard to get out of Vietnam. Jackson worked against the real powers that be, those that lend and create money; Bush has not made one step to move to a silver standard and eliminate the Federal reserve. Jackson worked his way up from nothing and could never learn to spell, Bush was born the grandson of a senator and the son of a president. That is why they called Jackson "Old Hickory", he was tough and never faltered. Bush, on the other hand, has allowed himself to be ruled by the neo-conservitave corporate executives, and the bible-thumpers. P.S. The Texas accent is a fake. If you've heard him speak after the election he sounds like a true Conneticutian.

forget about Bush. he was prolly a good man selected into a job that was WAY WAY WAY over his head and our country has suffered the consequences ever since. thats just an anomily of history we all as americans are going to have to deal with. thank God he's leaving and P-E Obama is coming into try and right the ship. I think all God-fearing people (me included) should hit their knees tonight and thank the Good Lord that the reign of Mr. Bush is almost over and the tenure of Mr. Obama has begun.

As a Democrat, I looove me some Hugh Hewitt. He's one of the leading voices working to ensure that the Republicans internalize none of the lessons of their 2006 and 2008 losses. Listen to his radio show sometime - he's convinced that the GOP lost in 2008 because John McCain's campaign didn't use Twitter effectively. As long as thinkers like old Hugh are diagramming the gameplan for the Republicans, Democrats will always come out ahead. Mr. Hewitt - shine on, you crazy diamond!

"Corruption of the oil for food program" We went to war so that Iraqi citizens could get the benefit of their commonly owned oil reserves. If only americans (outside of Alaska) had such rights. 1) Truman did the Marshall Plan and the Truman doctrine of communist containment. What did Bush do again? 2) Where is the 15 BILLION dollars of MY tax money Mr. Bush "lost" from the Iraq funds. That must have been the accountablility that Kerry voted for before he voted against losing 15 Billion of my money. What a traitor Kerry was huh Hugh?